Chuck will be taking a detour from the Stones tour on June 15 to perform his own gig at the Gramercy Theatre in NYC. Chuck will showcase a big band project a number of years in the making. “Chuck Leavell and His Big Band,” will feature Chuck performing special arrangements of classic rock ‘n’ roll and original pieces as a big band. Chuck was invited to do a concert in Frankfurt, Germany, with the Frankfort Radio Big Band some years ago. He sent a number of songs he wanted to perform to the arrangers ahead of his arrival. Three different arrangers created charts for a big band. “Man, it was just amazing,” Leavell said. “I was so blown away when I heard the charts they had done and the power and the talent of these players. It was really surprising. I said, Chuck, you have to step …
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Professor Longhair Piano Lesson – “Hey Now Baby”
The IROCKU feature lesson is "Hey Now Baby" by Professor Longhair. Click below for the lesson and sheet music. "Hey Now Baby" piano lesson Recorded sometime between 1949-1953, “Hey Now Baby” was eventually released in 1972 on the album, 'New Orleans Piano' by Professor Longhair. Another version of the song was released earlier by The Meters in 1971 under the name “Cabbage Alley” with Art Neville taking writer’s credit. We’re not sure why! The songs are virtually identical. Nevertheless it is an awesome version. When the Meters or the Nevilles perform the song live now, they do give credit to Professor Longhair. Professor Longhair’s playing is a cornerstone of rock piano. If you want to play Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, or Little Richard, learn how to play the techniques of …
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RIP Kofi Burbridge- brilliant keyboardist and flautist
The world lost a brilliant musician last month. Kofi Burbridge, keyboardist-flautist-vocalist with the Tedeschi Trucks Band passed away due to heart issues. For those of you who don’t know of Kofi, his name might sound familiar as he is the brother of Oteil Burbridge, bass player for the Allman Brothers and Dead & Company. The following is a portion of Oteil’s tribute to his brother Kofi: "Kofi was my first and biggest hero. He still is. Even though I know all of his human frailties, and even things that used to frustrate me, I will never be any less in awe of his superpowers. They were discovered at a very early age. I thought he was normal as a kid. I didn’t realize how advanced he was until I started playing in high school bands and saw the difference. Trying to keep …
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Baden Goyo- Latin Jazz pianist, composer, arranger, & instructor
IROCKU is honored to welcome Baden Goyo to our team of writers and instructors. Baden is a New York based Latin Jazz pianist, composer and arranger. In 2017, Baden received 2 Latin Grammy Awards for Best Latin Album of the Year and Best Album of Salsa and 1 Grammy Award for Best Latin Tropical Album for his collaboration as composer with Ruben Blades in the album “Salsa Big Band”. He is also a Latin Grammy Ambassador, holding “The Gifted Scholarship”, an international award granted to only 3 persons. This Venezuelan pianist appears throughout New York City scene performing Jazz, Blues and Rock in iconic venues such as: Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, BB King's, Groove and The Bitter End. Additionally, Baden constantly tours and participates at national and international jazz festivals such as: …
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“Wild Horses” Video – 1995 Toshibi/EMI Studios in Tokyo
The vote for the next IROCKU piano lesson came down to two songs- “Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones or “Stormy Monday” by the Allman Brothers. It was a close call but “Wild Horses” won the race. We’ll get started on “Wild Horses” and follow up with “Stormy Monday”. There are literally hundreds of covers of “Wild Horses” ranging from The Flying Burrito Brothers, Leon Russell, South Side Johnny, The Indigo Girls, to Alicia Keys. For the IROCKU lesson we’ll use the 1995 arrangement off the “Stripped” album by the Stones. This is pretty much a guitar centric song. It’s got some of Keith Richards’ most memorable riffs. But it also has room for some great keyboard fills, something we haven’t focused on. We’ll make it work! This “Wild Horses” video was recorded at the Toshibi/EMI Studios in …
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“Living in a Dream” Piano Lesson – Sea Level
Our current featured lesson is “Living in a Dream” by Sea Level. Click below for the lesson and sheet music. "Living in a Dream" piano lesson Happy New Year from Chuck and the irocku Team. Let us know what you want us to work on for the New Year. We’re considering a new Gospel Rock Essentials series. And perhaps some more blues tunes, maybe “Stormy Monday” and “Statesboro Blues” or possibly The Rolling Stones’ ballad “Wild Horses”. Are there any particular songs, styles or techniques you’d like to tackle this year? Here’s a video of Sea Level live at the Capitol Theatre in 1977. This is the only live Sea Level video that we have been able to turn up. Here’s the setlist: • Tidal Wave • Rain In Spain • Shake A Leg • Hideaway • Scarborough Fair • Hot 'Lanta • …
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“Joy to the World” – Boogie Piano Lesson
It’s time to rock the holidays!!! Chuck Leavell recorded his Christmas album “What’s in That Bag?” back in 1997 during breaks from the Rolling Stones ‘Bridges to Babylon’ tour. The album was released in 1998, the same year the Rolling Stones released their live album “No Security”. “What’s in the Bag” began as a Christmas card from Chuck to his friends and family. It was first recorded in 1996 at a small studio in Georgia using local musicians. Capricorn founder, Phil Walden received a copy of the ‘Christmas card’ and offered to bring it to the public. Chuck’s buddy Johnny Sandlin re-recorded the tracks a year later bringing in Bill Stewart and Rodger Hawkins on drums, David Hood on bass, Kelvin Holly on guitar, Scott Boyer on guitar and vocals. "Joy Boogie" piano lesson The album …
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The Rolling Stones’ Piano Players
Beginning back in 1963, for the first six years of their touring career, the Rolling Stones didn’t have a dedicated touring keyboardist. Founding member and keyboardist, Ian Stewart, was relegated to road manager because he didn’t ‘look the part’. For these early tours, Rolling Stones’ founder and guitarist, Brian Jones, sat in on the piano when the song called for it. After Jones’s accidental drowning in 1969, Ian Stewart was brought back onto the stage to play the rockers- such as “Honky Tonk Women” and “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll”. But Stewart refused to play ballads or any songs in minor keys. He was a blues rock and boogie woogie purist. From 1971 through 1973, English pianist extraordinaire, Nicky Hopkins, toured with the Stones to fill in on the songs that Stewart turned down. But …
The Rolling Stones Announce 2019 US Tour
The Rolling Stones announced their 2019 US Stadium tour. By our count this is their 48th tour since the first British Tour in 1963. Do the math. That’s 48 tours in 55 years!!! Incredibly, there is not one song overlap between their first ever set list from the 1963 British Tour to their most recent set list from the 2018 No Filter Tour. Their first set list was filled with covers such as rhythm and blues standard “Route 66” written by Bobby Troup and “Roll Over Beethoven” written by Chuck Berry. Their 2018 set list included a few blues covers from their “Blue and Lonesome” album but mostly Rolling Stones’ originals, many from their most prolific song writing period 1965 through 1974. The ten-year period from 1965 through 1974 was an historic writing period in music history. …
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Joe Cocker “Feelin’ Alright”- with Mark Alexander on Piano
Here’s a video of Joe Cocker singing Dave Mason’s Traffic classic, “Feelin Alright”. The piano intro to this song is one of rock’s most recognized piano licks, originally played by Artie Butler on Joe Cocker’s debut album With a Little Help from My Friends. This “Feelin Alright” video features session and stage keyboardist, Mark Alexander. Joe Cocker was known for surrounding himself with the top musicians in the music industry. Guitar greats Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton all made their way into a Cocker session. Saxophone phenom, Bobby Keys notoriously known for his work with the Rolling Stones shared his chops on the “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” (1970) live and “Jamaica Say You Will” (1975) albums. Clarence Clemens played sax on “Unchain My Heart” (1987). But for …
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